A problem in the future is it would seem my extra battery would have to go in the engine bay as mesurments in the back are not working out.

Not a big deal but I already have the brake servo there .
Its a problem as where ever that servo goes it blocks something or access to something.
I remember the very early mini coopers, they had the servo in the parcel shelf in the cab. This had no heat and the very shortest of brake pipe running so im thinking that under the dash could be a good place ....anyone got thoughts on this ?

The ash frame can soak up a huge amount of preserver.
Just loaded up the drain holes after at least 3 coats of stain and preserver and it soaked it up in a matter of hours ,so what I thought was 3 or 4 coats should be more like double that.

I want to move on but know I cant if I want the wood fully preserved . So now back to pure preserver as I dont want it getting too much darker with the stain [A long process as Im allowing 3 or 4 days between coats to dry].

It is looking great! A lovely colour. But....Have you actually trial-fitted the timber frame and doors etc. to your car yet? I found when I did mine that I had to remove quite a bit of wood from several areas so wouldn't recommend applying stain etc until after that process
Good luck with it all.

Yes I thought of that ..
Im going for a micro porous finish so I dont mind the stain getting as deep in to the wood as it can [a weak soulution] the main coats of pure stain wont come until its fitted [trial] to the car. The last coat added was at a 1 to 1 ratio so im hoping its not going to get too much darker than it is.

ManyMinors wrote: I found when I did mine that I had to remove quite a bit of wood from several areas so wouldn't recommend applying stain etc until after that process

Always more than one way to skin a cat, but slightly more conventional to alter the metal to fit the wood (although I'll possibly revise this comment after I've fitted mine in a few weeks time........ )

The preserving and staining is about done .
An incredible amount of preserver was used .
All inner parts of the wood will get a coat of varnish to create a water seal.
The doors now have had pure stain so this is as dark as its going to get , Now the fun part reassembly.